1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to mechanical switches and to methods of operating and making mechanical switches.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
This section introduces aspects that may be helpful to facilitating a better understanding of the inventions. Accordingly, the statements of this section are to be read in this light. The statements of this section are not to be understood as admissions about what is in the prior art or what is not in the prior art.
A mechanical switch is an electrical switch that has a portion that is moved during the transformation of the switch between the open-switch state or non-conducting state and the closed-switch state or conducting state. Typically, in the open-switch state, a high resistance gap separates two conducting contacts of the mechanical switch so that substantially no electrical current flows between the conducting contacts. Typically, in the closed-switch state, the conducting contacts physically contact each other so that an electrical current can flow between the contacts.
In some mechanical switches a significant closing force pushes the conducting contacts together in the closed-switch state. The closing force stabilizes the relative positions of the conducting contacts to mechanical vibrations and temperature variations in the closed-switch state. Such stabilization helps to ensure that mechanical vibrations and temperature changes of the switch will not substantially change its contact resistance in the closed state.
In other mechanical switches, a liquid mercury body connects two conducting contacts in the closed-state and does not connect the conducting contacts in the open-switch state. Due to its liquid form, the mercury body is an electrical connector whose electrical resistance is substantially insensitive to small mechanical vibrations of the mechanical switch.